The invention relates to a system for controlling a reproduction machine, and more particularly, to a method for changing the control for alternate display of alternate languages of such reproduction machines.
As reproduction machines such as copiers and printers become more complex and versatile in features and capability, the machine software control becomes much more complex. Yet, modifications and upgrades to the control often become more desirable or necessary to refine and adjust old features or add new features. In addition, many of the machines are multi-national and include a user interface that must not only be capable of displaying text and graphics, but, in particular, be capable of displaying graphics in multiple languages.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,729 discloses an index store provided to translate index addresses, derived from input instructions, into start addresses for microprogram routines. If microprogram routines have to be re-ordered within the microprogram store, it is only necessary to modify the contents of the index store, and further modifications to the microprogram unit, or to the input instructions, are not necessary.
The prior art also discloses various means to store or load control data into a system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,560 discloses a copier which functions according to a sequence control program stored on floppy disk and loaded by a user. The floppy disk can also contain a diagnostic program to facilitate maintenance, and further act as a key to prevent unauthorized use of the copier.
Japanese Patent No. 61-196265 to Watanabe discloses a copying machine having a disk drive for accepting a disk which stores language information. When the disk is loaded, display message information in various languages is provided on an operator interface display. U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,501 to Watanabe et al. claims priority from, inter alia, the '265 Japanese reference and is closely related.
Japanese Patent No. 61-190352 to Watanabe discloses disk means for inputting operation guidance data to a copying machine.
A difficulty with the prior art techniques is the limitation in being able to change control code, and, in particular, the inability to provide a simple method to change the code to provide alternate language displays at the user interface. It would be particularly advantageous to be able to change the language not only at the manufacturing site, but also to make the change to the control code in machines already installed in the field.
It would be desirable, therefore, to be able to easily re-install or replace the code controlling the specific language displayed at a user interface. It would also be desirable to selectively install customer language options in the field as required and to be able to provide a simple means for switching language displays during or after installation of the machine at the customer site.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved mechanism to allow the option of selecting either a primary or secondary language at a user interface and to allow changing either the primary or secondary language to an alternative language available for the various messages and instructions at the user interface. Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.